1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a collapsible chair. More particularly the chair is configured as a platform that allows for independent assembly and disassembly of SCUBA diving equipment to accommodate simultaneous occupancy by a diver and the SCUBA diving equipment.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Ocean and fresh water divers disembark on their expeditions from one of two locations: off dive boats or from shorelines at beaches and lakes. Excursions that start from beaches or lakes are called “beach dives.”
The SCUBA diving equipment needed for all diving comprises of a mask, gloves, an air tank, weight pouches (10 to 20 pounds), fins, a buoyancy compensator vest (“BC”) and a protective suit, either a wetsuit or a dry suit. All of the equipment required for the dive can add up to over 70 pounds that the diver must get into and walk with to the diving entrance.
Due to the weight of SCUBA diving equipment, and because a fully assembled SCUBA diving equipment unit is poorly balanced when stood on its base, a diving partner or other supportive object is often needed to maintain the assembled SCUBA diving equipment upright and keep it from falling over, as a diver attempts to put on the equipment. Often the diver requires an additional person to lift the assembled SCUBA diving equipment from the ground to place it onto the diver's back. If a second individual is not readily available for assistance, other common approaches are to properly positioning the SCUBA diving equipment employ the use of a jagged sea wall, a truck tailgate, or the back end of a sports utility vehicle (SUV). In any case, the donning of SCUBA diving equipment is problematical by one's self.
Furthermore, as the process of donning SCUBA diving equipment can be awkward, divers routinely expend a great deal of energy while donning SCUBA diving equipment that has been preassembled on the ground. Some may place stress or cause injury to their lower backs over time with the strain involved in the typical approach to fashioning SCUBA diving equipment.
Various devices have been proposed to assist in assembly and/or transport of SCUBA diving equipment. The Robert M. Henderson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,761 issued on Mar. 28, 1989 titled “Amphibious SCUBA Assist Devices” was inspired to assist a diver in transporting SCUBA tanks and other diving gear across a beach or like land area. The device has a roller unit that allows the diver to transport SCUBA diving gear via a rolling mechanism, while its frame maintains the equipment above ground. The frame carries a support surface and straps to retain tanks and other gear on the device. While this patent discloses a transportation vehicle for movement of SCUBA equipment it does not assist the user in donning the SCUBA equipment by supporting or positioning the equipment at a height or position to aid the diver.
The D. Gene Clements U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,670 issued Jul. 21, 1992 titled “Detachable SCUBA Tank Overland Transport Device” similarly discloses a wheeled device for enabling a SCUBA tank or the like to be moved over ground, instead of the user having to carry it. While such a device is suitable for keeping SCUBA diving equipment off sand or dirt surfaces, it does not provide a platform atop which a SCUBA diver may expediently put on his gear. This patent application only provides for SCUBA equipment to be donned while the user is standing.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2006/0102814 published May 18, 2006 to James Wilk et al., titled “SCUBA Unit Donning Assistance Platform” discloses a standing platform that is height-adjustable for holding a SCUBA tank at about the torso level of a diver so that the diver is able to stand upright when donning a SCUBA tank. Their device includes a support and platform for supporting at least one SCUBA tank, and a securing element to hold the SCUBA tank in place atop the platform. This patent application does not disclose supporting the equipment that assists the user for donning SCUBA diving equipment. Further, this patent application only provides for SCUBA equipment to be donned while the user is standing.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2002/0005390 published Jan. 17, 2002 to Jeffrey Alan DeRocher et al., titled “Dive Equipment Washing, Drying, and Storage Rack” discloses a free-standing rack for hanging SCUBA diving equipment when not in use and particularly during cleaning, drying and storage. The rack includes at least three support legs and a plurality of dive equipment holders along its length. The rack can be readily collapsed for storage and subsequently expanded as needed for use. This patent application does not provide a seated surface for the user and as the SCUBA equipment is being donned the weight of the equipment must be supported by the user. Further, this patent application does not disclose assisting the user for donning SCUBA diving equipment.
It is desirable to provide a platform that can accommodate the sizes and shapes of various SCUBA diving equipment. In particular, it is desirable to provide a seating implement having a seating platform and backrest for the user to sit in, while in addition, providing recessed pockets in the platform and backrest of the seating implement, adjustable armrests and additional supportive seating implement legs to allow for proper placement and stabilization of SCUBA diving equipment for independent placement and removal by the user. Moreover, the user is no longer required to lift the weight of a SCUBA diving unit to its proper position.
Prior to each expedition, divers must don their SCUBA diving equipment. In the case of beach dives this is done from sandy beaches, dirty and grassy lakeshores, and dirty, oily paved side streets around the dive locations. Much of the SCUBA diving equipment preassembly is often performed on the ground, directly on the sand and dirt surfaces. Some divers will place their SCUBA diving equipment onto a thin blanket, towel or mat. In any case the proximity of the SCUBA diving equipment with the sand and dirt on beaches, lakefronts, and gritty, oily city streets, presents one of the greatest potential dangers for all divers, debris infiltration into the SCUBA diving system's air regulator (breathing unit). Consequent equipment malfunction or seal leak can then occur during the actual dive, a dangerous prospect. It is desirable to provide a platform that maintains separation between sand or other debris and the SCUBA diving equipment to be used.